Page 22 of Tease

The two of us collapsed in a heap together when we were spent, him pressing me down on the bed. I didn’t mind. Not when he’d given me the best sexual experience of my life.

It took a few minutes for him to roll off me and settle by my side. He stroked his hand down my back in a soothing motion.

“You going to give me a sign of life?”

I turned my head, finding him giving me a tired smile. He must’ve been absolutely exhausted. I turned over and before he could stop me, I dealt with the condom, tying it off. I climbed out of the bed to dispose of it before turning out the lights. Then I hurried up the ladder and lay next to him, pulling the covers over both of us.

Arlo tugged me against him before he kissed me. I melted into his embrace, weariness sinking into my bones. When he let me go, he lay on his back. I curled up against his side and placed my head on his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh.

“Was that everything you wanted?” he asked after a minute.

I pressed a kiss to his chest.

“It was more,” I whispered, “b-b-but I know you’re tired… s-s-so s-s-sleep, Arlo.”

He pressed a kiss to my forehead before settling down again. I listened to his breathing even out.

Tonight, I’d got everything I wanted.

Tomorrow, I would have to ask him what happened with those men, and if they’d found out who was after me and my family. There was no way I was staying out of it now. Not when I’d been targeted. Arlo was going to let me in on what they were doing, whether he liked it… or not.

Nine

Arlo

The bright light hurt my eyes when I opened them. There was a dull ache in my temples. Reaching up, I rubbed them, blinking before I turned my head. The bed next to me was empty, the sheets cold as I brushed my hand over them. At the end of the bed, Rina’s two cats were curled up together. So, they only got up here when Rina was around. I would have to keep that in mind.

Merry opened his eyes and gave me daggers when I sat up, the covers falling off me and pooling in my lap.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

It wasn’t my intention to disturb the cats. I wanted them to like me because they were Rina’s companions. We would have problems if they weren’t cool with me.

My gaze went to the window, finding Rina sitting in her nook with her head resting on her knees as she stared outside at the pouring rain. Her dark hair fell over her legs like a curtain. It struck me how stunning she was. My hand went to my chest, rubbing the aching organ within. That woman was mine. I didn’t know how I got so lucky.

“Rina.”

She raised her head and looked up at me. A wide smile appeared on her face, then she was scrambling off the bench, picking up her notebook on the way. I watched her rush over to the ladder, climb up it and crawl towards me. Rina forced me to sit back against the pillows behind me as she straddled my lap, setting the notebook down next to her. I wrapped a hand around her waist instinctively.

“What time is it?”

“E-eleven thirty.”

“Fuck.”

I’d slept way too late, but it was unsurprising given I was up until past one dealing with those fucking men. When I got back, Rina was waiting for me. I’d wanted her as much as she’d clearly wanted me, but it had taken the last of my energy.

She reached up and brushed my hair off my forehead.

“I didn’t w-want to w-wake you.”

I appreciated her concern. She knew how worn out I’d been.

“Shouldn’t you be working,mia preziosa?”

She just gave me another smile and shook her head. Picking up her notebook, she flipped to a page and handed it to me.

“I-I w-wasn’t s-s-sure I could say all of this. I-I w-wrote it down instead.”

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